Red Congo (AAAA)

Effects: relaxed, sleepy uplifted, hungry

Can relieve: pain, stress, insomnia, depression, muscle spasms, lack of appetite

Purple Urkle is a true white whale among cannabis strains. Being one of the most popular Indica varieties around, its origins still remain unknown. What we DO know about Purple Urkle’s genetics is that it originated in the Emerald Triangle region of California, whose breeders are known for being tight-lipped about their strains’ lineage.

The Purple Urkle cannabis strain fits in the “moderately potent” category with its THC levels between 18% and 21%. However, this hybrid is not your average indica strain, and contrary to the modest numbers, it can hit you pretty hard.

That’s because Purple Urkle contains as little as 0.35% of CBD. Since CBD counters the mind-altering effects of THC, the latter actually faces no roadblocks to show its potency.

That being said, we suggest that you use Purple Urkle in moderation if you’re new to cannabis. But even if you know your greens root and branch, you might be surprised by the powerful body high the strain produces.

People using Purple Urkle often choose this indica-dominant hybrid to find tranquility and fight pain — and that’s exactly what they get after smoking or vaping its buds.

Initially, the Purple Urkle strain brings up a full-body melt, which makes it a great flower to medicate with after a long and stressful workday. These effects are followed by a mildly euphoric mood with possible giggle outbursts.

Unlike other strains from the “Purple” family, Purple Urkle is not as heavy and sedating. Some people use it as their go-to Indica strain throughout the day. However, at higher doses, its tranquilizing properties may result in a couch-lock and an unplanned nap.

Recreational users pick Purple Urkle to relieve stress, elevate mood, aid sleep, and improve focus and creativity. Medical patients, in turn, can benefit from this hybrid when trying to curb anxiety, stimulate appetite, relieve pain, nausea, and muscle tension.

Many cannabis aficionados who pay attention to terpenes praise Purple Urkle for being one of the most delightful Purple strains. It carries a skunky and sweet fragrance typical of dark fruit, underlined by hints of nag champa incense. This mysterious hybrid will make you want to poke your head into a container filled with its bulky buds threaded through with a mix of orange and purple hairs.

The prominence of the berry aroma is accompanied by the identical sweetness that is prevalent in Purple Urkle’s terpene profile. While inhaling the smoke or vapor can make you want to pop a glass of cold water at the beginning, the smoke is generally smooth and palatable.

Consuming too much of Purple Urkle’s buds can result in dry and red eyes, drowsiness, cottonmouth, and intense food cravings. Anxiety and mild paranoia are possible too, especially if you’re sensitive to the psychoactive effects of THC.

The strain grows relatively slow, calling for 5 months of cultivation until the plant gets into the flowering stage. Once it starts to flower, it will be ready to harvest after 8 weeks. As with many indica-dominant hybrids, don’t expect abundant yields. Purple Urkle grows short and bulk, giving roughly 1-2 ounces per plant when grown indoors and as little as ½ pounds on an outdoor field.